By Stephy Mahoney | Staff Writer

Baylor hosted its annual Giving Day this Wednesday with hundreds of students and alumni in attendance for the raffles, free donuts and on-campus activities hoping to surpass their $1.4 million in donations last year.

Baylor Giving Day had 23 active participating groups this year and an interactive map to see where each donation is received from.

Sara Lynch, assistant director of annual giving and a Baylor 2018 alumna, said she was able to host the first Giving Day as an on-campus event.

“I wanted to take a job in Annual Giving because I know my Baylor experience wouldn’t have been what it was if it wasn’t for donors and what they provide,” Lynch said. “The reality is that tuition is wonderful and it supports so many great things on campus, but it doesn’t support everything that creates the well-rounded Baylor experience.”

Lynch said her team wants to bring more awareness around giving, whether that be time, talent or treasure, because all sorts of philanthropy make an impact. Faculty and staff give their time and talent, while donors give to pave the way for 90% of students on campus to attend Baylor through scholarships and much more.

The Annual Giving team is learning about how to improve Baylor Giving Day every year to make a greater impact, Lynch said.

“Baylor prides itself on having a well-rounded experience,” Lynch said. “Christ, of course, is number one, and then academics, but also just making sure that we do have those experiences outside of the classroom that makes individuals well rounded.”

Lynch also said any donation amount helps and every year the Giving Day team strives to increase awareness for the event, both on campus and nationwide.

“The really great thing about Baylor is we have such a presence across the country and that hasn’t necessarily always been the case. Recently we have grown as an institution in so many facets,” Lynch said “When we first started this campaign we didn’t have too much of a presence on campus, and this year that is something we really wanted to change, which is why we are having the event on campus.”

Lynch said they encourage anyone and everyone to give and they reach out to people who have given in the past to see if they want to continue to be a part of this, as well as to people who have never been given the opportunity before.

This is Baylor’s fifth annual celebration incorporating principles similar to other giving days around the country for members of the Baylor Family.

Jordan Oestriech, assistant director of alumni engagement, said it was a great day for the university and it was fun for her to see students attend.

“It’s the first on-campus event of its kind, so we are making a big push to involve students and let them know you can make an impact too; it’s not just nameless, faceless donors somewhere in the world,” Oestriech said.

Oestriech said this year, Baylor is participating in a match program in which every dollar donated by the public will be doubled by a generous donor.

“If we all work together and each share a piece of the ten thousand, someone will come forth and match that for $20,000 donated to the university and students in need,” Oestriech said.

The Giving Day team would love to make a presence on Fountain Mall to garner excitement as well as get student organizations involved, Oestriech said.

Although they gave away free items and experiences to promote the event, Lynch said the team hopes that they “are also encouraging students to pay it forward and give back to programs that have impacted them.”

“As we appreciate our campus and all of the good things that come from it, we really want to instill in our students that is such an important part of society to give back,” Lynch said.

Lynch also said that with the research the school is doing and also the academic accolades, they’ve been receiving that we “really have a place now.”

“I want to make sure that students, faculty and staff are aware of the opportunities that we have on campus,” Lynch said. “Moving forward, I would really love to keep getting them involved and showcase the wonderful work that Baylor Family are doing.”